Generally speaking, fuel injectors include a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough. A control section may be located adjacent to the first end and an injection section may be positioned adjacent to the second end. The injection section may be configured to deliver metered amounts of fuel into a cylinder with which the fuel injector is associated. The control section, on the other hand, may regulate operation of the injection section through mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, hydraulic means, piezoelectric, or other means.
The injection section may include a fuel injection needle in tight tolerance with an injector outlet. Fuel from a fuel feed stream may pass between the injection needle and injector outlet during operation, and particles suspended in the fuel feed stream may rub or scuff the injector outlet or injection needle during operation, thereby leading to decreased fuel injector efficiency. Likewise, the control section may include a valve in tight tolerance with a valve body. When the valve is open, oil from an oil feed stream may pass by the valve from a first oil passageway to a second oil passageway. The oil feed stream may also include suspended particles that may rub or scuff the valve or valve body, also leading to decreased fuel injector efficiency.
Ordinarily, screen-based filters may be utilized with the fuel injector to remove particles in both the fuel feed stream and the oil feed stream. For example, German Patent Application DE102013201802 ('802) discloses a screen-based filter to remove suspended particles in a fuel feed stream. This filter includes an inner screen and an outer screen and a flow channel positioned between the inner screen and the outer screen. While certainly effective for its intended purpose, it has certain drawbacks. For example, when particles begin building on the screen, pressure on screen builds until the screen buckles. With enough pressure, the screen ruptures and particles flow through the filter causing rubbing and scuffing on injector parts, thereby causing decreased fuel injector efficiency.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more problems set forth above and/or other problems associated with the prior art.